What Are the Precautions for Using Wire Rope?

Wire rope can meet the lifting requirements of a variety of application scenarios, but we need to pay attention to the following matters during use. This will prevent the structure of the wire rope from being damaged and maintain its good performance.

1. If the wire rope is worn, overloaded, misused, damaged, or improperly maintained, it will easily fail.

2. In use, the abuse and misuse of the wire rope will make it lose its strength and workability.

3. The minimum breaking strength of the wire rope is only applicable to new and unused ropes. The minimum breaking strength is the straight-line pulling force that secures both ends of the rope to prevent rotation, which actually breaks the new, unused rope. The minimum breaking strength of the rope should not be used to withstand its working load.

4. To determine the working load of the wire rope, the minimum breaking strength must be reduced through a design factor (safety factor). The design factor will vary depending on the type of machine and installation and the work performed, and you must determine the applicable design factor.

For example, a design factor of “5” means that the minimum- or nominal breaking strength of the wire rope must be divided by five to determine the maximum load that can be applied to the rope system.

5. Without fully understanding and considering the design factors of the application, the steel wire rope shall not be installed or used.

6. The strength of the wire rope increases slightly after the running-in period, but it will decrease over time. When approaching the finite fatigue life, the fracture strength will drop sharply. Never evaluate the remaining fatigue life of a wire rope by only testing a part of the wire rope until it fails.

7. Never overload the wire rope, which means never use the rope when the applied load is greater than the working load determined by dividing the minimum breaking strength of the rope by the appropriate design factor.

8. Do not "impact load" the wire rope. Sudden application of force or load will cause visible external damage and internal damage.

9. The sudden release of the load will also damage the wire rope. Lubricant is applied to the steel wire and strands of the steel wire rope during manufacture. This lubricant will run out when the wire rope is used, so we should replace it regularly.

10. When the wire rope is not used because it is no longer applicable, it must not be reused in other applications.

11. Every wire rope user should be aware of the fact that each type of fitting attached to a wire rope has a specific efficiency rating that can reduce the working load of a rope assembly or rope system, and this must be given due consideration in determining the capacity of a wire rope system.

12. Some conditions that can lead to problems in a wire rope system:

(1) Sheaves that are too small, worn, or corrugated can cause damage to wire rope.

(2) Broken wires mean a loss of strength. Kinks permanently damage a wire rope.

(3) Environmental factors such as corrosive conditions and heat can damage a wire rope.

(4) Lack of lubrication can significantly shorten the useful service life of a wire rope. Contact with electrical wire and the resulting arcing will damage a wire rope.

 

If the wire rope is used in hazardous conditions, a risk assessment should be conducted, and the workload limit needs to be adjusted according to the application scenario. If you want to know more about wire rope after reading the above, you can get a comprehensive solution by contacting us.

TERADA is an experienced hardware supplier that has established a complete quality management team and strict quality inspection system. We are committed to providing customers with safe and high-quality products, and carry out comprehensive quality control from product design to export. At the same time, we will also provide thoughtful one-stop service and effective solution technology according to the diverse needs of customers. If you are interested in our wire rope, please contact us immediately!